Filter



Feb. 19, 1952 Filed Nov. 22, 1946 S. MOREL FILTE 2 sx-xEETs-SHEET 1 Fig.1

Feb. 19, 1952 s, MOREL 2,586,692

FILTER Filed Nov. 22, 194e 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Fig.10

F ig.9

STANSLRS MOREL.

|NvNTCfL Patented Feb. 19A, 1952 UNITED STATES A...i-@TENT oFFicE Application November 22, 1946,Seia1No. 711,615y In France November '30', v1945 3 Claims. (Cl. 26h-92') l This invention relates to iilters generally and particularly to such as are used Yfor the iilt'ration of air,.gases or other fluids in order -to retain dust particles or other corpuscules including smokes.

In hitherto `known devices it is customary Ato i employ Wet lters for separating particles that are not arrested by lters operating on the dry process.

Wet lters have a much higher eicieiicy than dry filters, yet the amount of dust particles es- 1 caping from suc-h filters remains still considerable, either because the period of passage of `said particles through the watery Zone is too short, or because the number of impingements thereof upon the Water is too small or said impingements are ineffective since the water surface oiiers a superficial tension to solid matters as though it were coated with a resilient lm.

Furthermore the known lters -of all kinds vsuch as e. g. water vat, spray, water screen or -fog vail type lters require a substantial water supply as Well as an appreciable amount of compressed air.

Besides, most of such lters necessitate apow'- erful fan because of the braking effect due to the water.

The objectof the invention is to providean'i-rnproved ltering apparatus of high eciency for dust-laden air, gases or vapors including smokes and of the type based on the humid process 'calling for but little water and no 'compressed air,

entailing no brake'age but being able even to `create -a certain vacuum.

The invention consists of a filter comprising at least one perfo-rated Wall combined with means adapted to enable said Wall to be 'alternately dipped into Water or other liquid so as to form a liquid lm thereon and then to be withdrawn from the liquid and moved across a path traversed by the uid to be filtered, Which consequently must pass through the meshes or gaps of said wall by breaking up the liquid nlm thus ensuring the ltration of said fluid.

According to a further feature each metal gauze -or other perforated ltering wall .has a rough surface obtained for example vby sand blasting, whereby the afiin-ity `ofcsaid -sui-faccior Water -or other liquid is considerably enhanced.

Other features and vadvantages will be apparent from the Yfollowing .description taken Ain iconnection with the accompanying drawings .in which:

Fig. l is a longitudinal vertical sectional view ofthe filter embodying the invention on the line I--l of Fig-2.

Eig. 2 isahorizontal sectional View .onthe line 2-2 of Eig. l.

Fig. -3 -is a sectional View on -a larger nscale lof the joint between the vrotary part and the stationarysupply conduit ef the Ailuid to -ber-ltered.

Fig- -4 shows one of theiltering -gauze'sin unwotind position with spacing elements along the longitudinal edges.

F-igse 5 and l-illustrate respectively transverse and longitudinal Asections of =said gauze.

Fig. 7 isa -fragmentary front View .of a small portion i of the filtering gauze on f enlarged fscale Fig. 8 is a transverse Asection .of said .gauzeion the same scale.

Figs. .e and 1o are similar views showing fthe nlms of water yor other rliquid Vadhering to the gauze.

Eig. L1 isla ldiagrammati'o@loifigitudinal section of a liilter .comprising two @ltering .cells in series.

According to the embodiment sho-WninEigs. 1 to 6 .the .lter `comprises .a `prisn'iatic -vat `I of square for rectangularisection .madeof sheet-'metal or any ,suitable V,material and .provided 'with 1a co-Vler 2 .applied thereto in .a fluid-tight manner. Said vat rl sis-mounted onstandards Lto spacelthe bottom .4 away :from itheigroundxand is preferably provided at its lower point with a funnel-.shaped outlet opening 5 closed, for :insta-nce, by a .plug screwed thereon. Horizontal bars 1 are-.preferably provided 4above the bottom 4 to 'supportremov-y able receptacles adapted to receive the :sludge resulting from Kthe iiiltering operation. :One of the Avertical vuallslhas anA inlet opening S1-.for .water or .other liquid. .An overnow :opening iis provided at kl :toirnaintain theilevel ofthe .water .lil :or other liquid within the 2vatiat One Lof 'the vertical walls of .the vat 4l is 4iflttcd With .an inlet :connection fl2` (Figs. 2', .3) :for the iiu-id to be iiltered; .the axis .thereof being level with `or .slightly above the water 'surface governed zby the -overow 1.0. The adjacentwall has an .outlet =connection :|53 located iaty .a Yilaigher level i. e. above the plane ,H-:H :for the filtered fluid.

The iiltering device `proper ris `Aarranged Within the vat E'l andv comprises a shaft :14' -:the axisf-of which coincides `with :the-,axisfX-X of the'connecting member l2. Said shaft yh1 projects outside the 'vat' l opposite the connecting-member l2 and is journalled in Yatiglfitbearfing l5 and carries exteriorly of the vat va .pulley or other Amflmber I6 for driving the -shaft inthe directionrof :arrow f1 (Fig. 1f). On the inlet side the vshaft I-rests in a bearing I1 supported by fa spider t8 secured in the connecting member I'2.

Two parallel end vvplates I9 `.and 20 areifixedto the shaft -HL On-the Lside -of the bearing 1.5 the Vof rotary spool.

shaft is directly surrounded by the plate I3 which may be secured thereto either by means of a keyed hun or by a series of spokes 2l extending through the shaft and riveted at 22 in a cylindrical seat 23 integral with or built up on the plate I9 and facing the other plate 20. Said second plate 20 equally provided with a cylindrical seat 24 on the inner side thereof does not bear directly against the shaft III. It comprises a cylindrical portion Z which may be built up or formed integrally by stamping or otherwise. Said cylindrical portion 25 whose diameter is equal to that of the inlet connection I2 of the vat is connected to the shaft I4 by means of spokes 26 extending through the shaft and inserted at 21.

'l'ne nuldtigntness between the inlet connection i2 and the cylindrical socket 25 of the plate 2U is secured by a sleeve 28 (Figs 2, 3) made of ruooer, leather or like material. Said sleeve 28 is made integral with the socket 25 for rotation, for example, by means of screws or rivets 29 and through the spokes 26 and is clamped to the extension 3u of the connecting member I2 on the inner wall of the vat I by a ring 3| to ensure a tight `ioint While allowing said sleeve to follow the rotation of the shaft I4 and the plates I9 and zu the whole assembly constituting a kind Said spool carries a series of filtering gauzes 32 wound into spirals such as a b c, al bl c1, a2 b2 c2, etc. Each gauze (Figs. 2, 4, 5) has a width Z corresponding to the distance between the two opposite faces of the plates I9 and 28. The length of each gauze is equal to the developed length of the aforesaid spirals and said length is such that each spiral has an angular development less than 360. The different gauzes are spaced apart by insertions 33 attached to each gauze along the two longitudinal edges thereof. Said insertions made of leather,

rubber or other yielding material have the saine wldth as the cylindrical flanges 23 and 24 of the plates I9 and 2u and are flush therewith, and bear on said flanges when the gauzes 32 are being wound into spirals between the plates I9 and 20.

In order to assist in starting the winding operation each insertion is provided at one of its ends with an arc-shaped bevel 34 (Figs. 1, 6) curved according to the diameter of the flanges 23 or 24 of the corresponding plate I9 or 20 against which said insertion comes to bear through said bevel.

The filtering screens may be formed of perforated sheet metal or preferably of wire gauze (Figs. 7, 8) owing to its lightness of weight, large surface -of passage and great number of obstructions oiered by the warp on weft threads thereof. The gap of the meshes ranges for example between .040 and 1 millimetre. Said gauze or other screen is preferably treated by sand blasting for roughening both faces and assumes the appearance shown on a considerably enlarged scale in Figs. 7 and 8. This treatment has the effect of annealing the metal hence to increase the strength thereof as well as the surface of the wires by means of recesses and asperities without diminishing the gaps of the meshes, thus multiplying the number of points intended to catch and retain the dust particles to be removed and also to cause instantaneous and total irnpregnation of the gauze on contacting the liquid by virtue of the affinity of water or liquids in general for rough surfaces.

As indicated, water I I or any other appropriate liquid may be used. Water may be employed without admixture or coated with a layer of oil or other liquid lighter than Water but evaporating less easily. Disinfectant or germicide coinpositions may also be added to the liquid in order to sterilize the aii' or other fiuid.

The opertaion of the apparatus is substantially as follows:

The vat I being filled up to the level H-H the drum formed of the spool I4, I9, 20 with the ltering gauzes 32 is rotated in the direction of arrow f1.

During the operation of the filter the drum must revolve slowly enough to prevent the centrifugal force from exerting any action upon the liquid adhering to the wire gauzes. According to the liquid used a drum 500 mm. in diameter should be run at a peripheral speed of from to 100 metres per minute.

While rotating the metal gauzes dip into the liquid at mn (Fig. 1) by their ends as a a1 a2 attached inside the drum. Immersion takes place at the opposite side of the path travelled by the fluid and indicated by arrow f2.

The gauzes 32 emerge gradually at pq cornpletely soaked with liquid and forming a regular wall since each mesh gap is closed by a liquid diaphragm 35 (Fig. 10) the solid parts having all their faces coated with a liquid film 3B.

It is to be noted that all the spiral spaces comprised between the gauzes always have a portion of their length wholly filled with liquid.

Circulation of the air or other fiuid is ensured by the suction action of the filtered fluid at I3 and/or by delivery under pressure of the fluid to be filtered through the connection member I2. The huid to be filtered enters the filter in fact through said connection I2 and tubular extension 25 and reaches the centre of the drum forming an expansion chamber 31. The heavy dust particles fall into the liquid which is being stirred by the rotative movement of the drum. The fluid passing through the spaces provided between the dierent ganzes, which spaces freely open into the chamber 31, is then forced to escape through all of the gauzes by breaking up the liquid diaphragms 35, 36.

It will be noted that the fluid to be ltered cannot traverse the drum by following the spiral spaces along the whole length thereof, for it is stopped by the liquid which always fills a portion of each of said spaces.

This results in keeping the fiuid within the aqueous zone for a certain period of time before leaving said zone in filtered condition. During said period the fine dust particles become more and more soaked in consequence of a number of impacts on the humid wires or on the intermediate liquid diaphragms, thereby increasing their size and weight and hence the force of the shocks. Under said favourable conditions the fine particles finally succeed in breaking up the superficial liquid film and clutch at the rough surface of the metal gauze remaining there until they are brought into contact with the liquid mass II by the rotary motion of the drum. The ganzes are thus washed and ready for another revolution.

By the action of gravity the dust particles form a deposit by sedimentation and collect in the receptacles 8 which are removed when full.

It will be observed that the greatest accumulation of dust takes place in the zone A (Fig. 1) as the filtering walls stream with excess liquid when they are Withdrawn, said excess liquid carrying along a considerable amount of particles.

It will be noted that the air contacts the filtering surfaces substantially at right angles, this condition promoting correct impacts of the dust on said surfaces.

It should be stated that the vacuum set up by suction at I3 need not be very important, for eX- ample of the order of 20 m./m. of water column and that the apparatus itself tends to create a slight vacuum, within the chamber 31 due to the direction of rotation of the rotor, the filtering walls wound into spirals acting somewhat after the manner of fan blades.

Fig. 11 illustrates a ltering plant comprising two filtering cells in series C1 and C2, the fluid to be filtered flowing in the direction of arrows f3 and passing in succession through the two ltering layers of the two rotors of the type above described.

The invention is by no means to be limited to the precise details described but is intended to cover all variations and modifications falling Within the scope of the appended claims.

Several filtering cells may be arranged in series and/or in parallel.

A rst lter of any known type may be placed for arresting heavy particles before one or more filters constructed according to the invention.

Having now described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. Apparatus for filtering a gas by means of a liquid, said apparatus comprising in combinajacent walls at right angles of said container substantially at the same level and, on the other hand, with a liquid inlet disposed near the top of the container and a liquid overflow outlet disposed slightly below the level of said gas inlet and outlet, a rotatable driven shaft in said container, the axis of Said shaft being substantially at the same level as said liquid outlet, and a ltering drum secured on said shaft and formed by two end plates, one of which is provided with an aperture communicating with said gas inlet, and by perforated ltering walls wound into superposed spirals extending substantially around said shaft between said end plates to form spiral spaces which .open into the interior and at the periphery of said drum, said shaft and drum having such a direction of rotation and being placed with` respect to said outlet of the ltered gas so that the gas crosses radially through said perforated walls in the portion of said drum which is just emerging from the liquid.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said filtering perforated Walls are rough and sand-blasted on both faces.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a movable receptacle carried by the bottom of said container for receiving sludge.

STANISLAS MOREL. REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 249,719 Woodhouse Nov. 15, 1881 1,289,421 Fairbanks Dec. 31, 1918 1,302,281 Bates Apr. 29, 1919 1,309,737 Ilg July 15, 1919 1,637,516 Brilliant Aug. 2, 1927 1,644,089 Salerni Oct. 4, 1927 1,826,508 Decker Oct. 6, 1931 2,223,227 Robic Nov. 26, 1940 

